Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker’s Lush Garden Living Room Isn’t as Unachievable as It Looks – and Winter Is the Perfect Time to Plan Your Own

When Architectural Digest toured Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker’s Calabasas home, it was their open-air living room that was the standout space. It didn’t really feel like a “backyard” per se, but not quite a room either. Basically, it was a covered pergola-style seating area, or a “garden room.” It was framed by structured shrubs and trees, and gave off an incredibly Californian vibe.

Travis also shared photos of the space on Instagram.

Designer Waldo Fernandez, who was hired by Kourtney and Travis to give the home a refresh, explained it was created with an intentional calm. “Travis wasn’t looking for a major statement or any kind of caricatured rock-star style,” Fernandez recalled. “He wanted a home that would allow him to think and be at peace with himself."

The good news for you is that you don’t need a celebrity budget or their square footage to pull off a similar look, and you can start even in the midst of winter. A little planning during the cold months will ensure you have a yard that looks spring-ready rather than rushed.

What Is a Garden Room, Anyway?

Traditionally, a garden room refers to a standalone structure at the end of the yard – but the idea has evolved. Today, it’s just as often used to describe an outdoor zone that feels like a natural extension of the home.

It might be a dining nook, a calm reading nook, or a beautiful pathway that guides you through the yard. Shrubs, hedges, trellises, and pergolas can act like “walls” while seating areas, paths, or the plants you use can define how you will use the space.

Winter is often the best time to decide where your garden room will be and how it will look, while spring is the season for bringing these plans to fruition.

Here's my three-step plan to creating your own outdoor living space inspired by Travis and Kourtney.

Step 1: Prune for Shape, Not Size

This is the perfect time to look at your garden in detail, while everything is bare and stripped back. You can see the natural structure of your shrubs, and do some pruning that will help refine the shape while encouraging healthy growth come spring.

Your focus should be on:

• Snipping off odds and ends from overgrown hedges
• Making defined, clear edges around garden beds
• Opening up lines of sight where you want paths or seating areas

It should be less about cutting everything down, but rather framing the space. This Garden Guru pruning set is great, including hedge shears, bypass loppers, and pruning shears with heavy-duty comfort grip handles.

Step 2: Map Your Garden Rooms on Paper

Before touching anything or buying a single plant, sketch out a plan like a professional architect or landscaper would, even if it’s rough. Where would a potential pergola go? Or a trellis? Could you use tall shrubs to create a private seating area? Is there room for a narrow path lined with perennials? Let your imagination run wild a little bit; you can always scale back later. A guided gardening notebook will help you plan everything, like this Clever Fox journal from Amazon.

Keep in mind that a garden room doesn’t have to be big; even a 6-by-6-foot nook can feel just right if you define it well.

If you need some inspiration, The New Romantic Garden by Jo Thompson (available on Amazon) is a great read. It takes you through 30 stunning gardens that show how classic design ideas have been updated to be more sustainable.

Step 3: Think About How You’ll Use the Space

What will your garden room be for? It certainly needs a job, even if it’s just for lounging. Are you looking for small patio ideas for eating? Entertaining? Relaxing? Once you know what it’s for, your plant choices become much easier. For example, a dining area can benefit from fragrant potted herbs, while a quiet corner for relaxing can include some soft foliage.

And yes, this can all be planned while you’re sitting on your couch in a blanket, holding a cup of hot chocolate, and trying not to freeze.

Once spring arrives, you’ll be ahead of the game as you’ll already know what you’re going to do. A little planning in winter can turn gardening chaos into calm.

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